ssandlin

Mopar1973, I'll have to agree with what most have said, get the degree in your field of choice. I don't think you'll ever regret it. Seems like I'm always reading somewhere about how much money, on average, one with a degree earns more than one without a degree. While money is not everything, it does take money to get by in this world.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Purplezr2

Get an education then do what you want. I have almost have a BS in ME(1 week left). I'm hands on like you, its all great until you hurt your body, then you need something to fall back on.

NJTman

Paul,

I've lived both sides of the coin....

When I graduated HS, I had the opportunity to go to college. I got my AS degree in Business Admin, then went to Rutgers to finish it out for my BA in Bus. Admin. When I graduated, it was in a recession, and after a lot of hoofin around, I found a job @ Merrill Lynch. My friend also went there about the same time.

Well, I had my degree, and a job that paid $17500 a year doing about 65 hours a week in the customer service dept. Best part of the entire time was speaking to Arnold and Kennedy JR. . That was pretty much it. After a short stint there, I realized I was making more money working just weekends doing construction than I would take home all week long. I left the financial world, never turning back. I hated the job, and all that it represented. My buddy stayed, and he's a millionaire now, as he sells securities to big corporations. Good for him.

Spent 6 years working as an auto mechanic, until I finally was settled and married with my first "real" home, after a condo we purchased was sold. IT was then I went into the remodeling trades, fixing up houses. From there, I went into a field supervisor for a company that built 1 to 2 million dollar homes. After putting up with all of the Bologna for quite a few years, I finally decided I had had enough of being used.... so I started my own company fixing up homes, and to this day I'm still doing it.

What I will tell you is that I'm genetically a motor head / builder / tinkerer / fabricator... and not really utilizing everything of the piece of paper, that everyone here recommends so much, and so highly. That Degree cannot always be fallen back on, as your path in life dictates who pays attention to you, or not. Just because I have a 4 year degree, doesn't mean that anyone will hire me.... as during lean times, I've found out. They look at the overall picture, as a possible asset to their company, but they also take into account if you are overqualified as well, which, in their minds, is a detriment, as they're fearful that you will leave when the hard times subside. Don't ask me how I know this....

If you have a track record, running a business, or salesmanship, or warehouse experience, you're viewed differently from each companies perspective of their HR dept. That piece of paper would make it very difficult for me to find a "laborer job" or even an administrative job, as I'm not proficient in all of the office required duties, and I don't take orders very well. Although I'm outgoing and I can sell my products that I sell, I absolutely suck at selling products or services I don't believe in. It shows in my face...as I have a difficult time throwing bull.

Point is.... if I had a time machine, I would have still pursued the college degree, but I would have put it into an engineering venue, and obtained a degree more pertinent to my true loves and interests.... AKA... creating stuff.

The best advice I can give you is to combine a business degree (to give you the skills to eventually be your own boss) and whatever other degree in a subject that you just can't get enough of... as someone else put it.... you find a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life.. Don't wait till you're in your mid 30's to figure this out, as I have done. Granted I'm doing now, what I absolutely love.... (and sometimes hate), but I waited too long to figure out just what that was.

Mopar1973

I had this all typed out and my internet crapped out . I appreciate all of the feedback, much more than I would have expected. I may not enjoy political science as much as working on cars, but apparently I am good at it. First final grade for my classes was in Honors Political Science, 100% on the final and a 97.5% for the year. I am now able to work at the shop full time and with the right amount of overhead the amount of money that is able to be made is staggering. When it is slow we generate our own income. He has also offered to pay me now that I am out of college and quit my dead-end job doing overnights at a 24/7 gym. He offers to pay me because I can R&R the unit as well as pull them apart and clean them on the bench and possibly reassemble them depending on what unit it happens to be. There are a few German cars that are exceptions to the R&R simply because one hasn't come in where someone has wanted to dump an obscene amount of money into the car. For instance today he did not lift a finger, I pulled the unit apart, inspected it, showed him the bad parts, cleaned and replaced what was needed and put it back together. Another happy customer. I have experience in the business end of it as well. Since I am the owner I write checks, pay bills, filed the taxes, deal with customers, give prices, go on test drives etc etc. I am there 8am every day now that I am able to be. Oh and as of today I am an authorized UHAUL distributor.

Fronty Owner

wrenching professionally can be hard on the body.
Treat school like any other investment. What is your ROI?
with a full ride, your investment is small. Just 4 to 6 years of your life. If you end up paying for the rest of your education. how long would it take for you to pay the money back and how much MORE will you make vs the time invested building a reputation as a mechanic?

My story. I went into mechanical engineering. I enjoy it most of the time as I get a good balance between sitting behind a computer and actually building the equipment and in the shop. Basically, after all the loans, I ended up taking about 10 years to pay back with a personal income that is better than the average household income for the area.
I have mentioned it to our shop foreman every time he is looking to hire an assembler. Hire an engine or transmission builder. Not necessarily because they know something others dont, they typically have an eye for detail that others dont.

Mopar1973

As of right now I do not pay to attend the school. Prospective attorneys graduating in my field of study are friends of my uncles, graduating from temple two years ago, and made $90,000 right out of college. That was working 70-80 hours a week as basically an over-qualified paralegal. I would expect much less then that. The ROI in the transmission industry is immediate, I have made quite a bit of money for an 18 year old. My father let me keep the first two jobs i did to myself to get me off the ground and now we split profit down the middle on all the side work I do because he showed me how to do it. And if I did end up paying for my education tuition at Rutgers is $12,000/year approximately. Yes my father has made it very clear that attention to detail is what sets us (him) apart from the rest.

brainfade

As a recently laid off technician in automotive testing with 19 yrs experience, I can tell you that it takes some kind of degree to even get in the door for an interview these days. I worked for a tier one supplier doing full vehicle testing using the latest, most sophisticated equipment and was sent all over the world to do it. I have a huge skill set, but had trouble even getting in the door on several occasions to interview for jobs much less sophisticated than the one I came from because I didn't finish my degree. Right now you have a lot of options, but for me the only option has been working an hour from where I live, doing a lot less interesting work. The other guys are right when they say it's good to have options.

Spooler

Get the Degree......... Period.

sled4fun

Get the degree!!!!!! No brainer. You have a long life ahead to change what you do. Learn from all of our experiences.

Spooler

Like I did....LOL... I went back to get er done. Glad I did. Student loan, who cares, I pay it with a smile.

Fronty Owner

usually, the degree is a no brainer. If its something you can get a career in.
I have a buddy that graduated a semester before I did. His degree is personal finance. His wife teaches. Instead of uprooting her and moving to get a job. He stuck around. and plays WOW most of the time. Its been 10 years out of the field. I doubt he could get a job as more than a clerk in the field now.
If you get your degree, make sure its in a field that is available around your area or your willing to go to an area where that field is in demand. Second, make sure its a field that pays better than working a minimum wage job 20 hrs per week. If you really love that field, better marry a rich girl.
The "get a degree" no matter what is why a a tech has to have a bachelors degree to get a job turning wrenches.

Spooler

Very true, You have to use it. If you are not going to do that, then it is a waste of money. Fronty is correct when he says to make sure the job market where you want to be can support you or it will be useless.

Mopar1973

The degree would be majoring in politcal science and minoring in business. If the prospects of a lawyer are slim, I will fall back on the shop as long as things keep going as they are right now. I have an entire summer dedicated to rebuilding and installing so we will see what knowledge I pick up along the way. Thanks for the advice, it will not go to waste.

Grit Dog

College isn't for everyone and frankly, too many people send their kids to college becasue "it's better than working blue collar" when the kids don't get anything out of it except some BS degress (Not Bachelor of Science!) and a free ride to 4 years of drinking games. SOme of those kids just shouldn't be in school, some are taking advantage of not having to work for a living yet.
You don't sound like either of those stereotypes, so if you have a direct goal with your degree, then you will be better off in the long run having it.
If your goal is to run a transmission shop (not a bad goal by a long shot) with a college degree, then I would say go for the trans shop.
Or meet in the middle, you like doing mechanic work and you appear to have an aptitude for business. FOrego the Pol science degree, get a degreee in business and use that knowledge to run an even more successful trans shop.

Personally I'd say get the degree as a primary means to your career and use the mechanic work to pay for your schooling and as a fall back skil set in the future.